New Delhi, June 3: Describing it as a “incredibly flexible region”, Julia Simpson, president of the UK -based World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), expressed optimism about the revival of Jammu and Kashmir tourism on Tuesday, which has faced a big hit in view of the Pahalgam attack.
During a conversation here, he also said that “a suitable phase of caution” needs, travelers have chosen Kashmir as a destination and are coming to India, “I think, they are going to continue to come”.
London -based tourism body CEO Simpson shared some estimated figures for the Indian tourism sector for 2025 and a 10 -year forecast for 2035 in a presentation. He also gave some related insight into a conversation with PTI video on the occasion of the incident.
He underlined the recovery made in the Indian tourism sector over the years to the post -Covid epidemic, and said “the future looks very bright”.
Asked if the Pahalgam terrorist attack would put a shadow on this tourism recovery trajectory in India, Simpson said “The situation we are seeing here in India is definitely stabilizing, which is always a good sign”.
He underlined the flexible nature of the region and said that people were apprehensive that passengers would not go to the Middle East after the Israeli-Gaja struggle or would not travel to Europe after Russia-Ukraine struggle, but people are traveling to the Middle East and Europe.
The CEO of WTTC emphasized the current geopolitical concerns and recalled the terrorist attack in Pahgam in Kashmir on 22 April.
“… We are clearly a tragic event in India, but we are watching war globally. There is a lot … and I always say that when I talk about travel and tourism, in the concept … and struggle, first, we must remember that we are real humans and victims who are caught in these horrific events,” he said.
“But what I would say, travel and tourism are very flexible. Passengers are very sophisticated,” said Simpson.
In the Pahalgam attack, 26 people, most of whom were killed in the Sundar Bairsaran Valley, including a Nepali National, while holidaying in the beautiful Besaran Valley.
On the steps being taken by government officials in India to rebuild tourism and restore peace and security, he implemented the country’s leadership and underlined that things are actually “very well managed”.
“I mean, obviously we want people to be deeply concerned about what is happening … You know, it is like a day’s media clipping, and then people who are loyal to Kashmir and are coming to India, I think, is coming.
The WTTC chief said, “Therefore, I am very confident that as long as there is a suitable phase of caution, I don’t think this is going to influence the journey and tourism overall,” said the WTTC chief.
During his conversation with PTI video, he called travel and tourism “incredibly flexible region”.
“While these are individual tragedy for those involved, what you see is that travel and tourism is very strong, and it will recover very quickly,” he said.
Simpson said, “They (passengers) clearly consult their governments as to where it is safe to travel, but usually, these conditions are resolved, and people start traveling again.”
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is also trying to revive tourism in the valley, as he held a minister’s council meeting at a resort in Pahgam in South Kashmir in May, demanding rebuilding the confidence of tourists.
Lalit Suri Hospitality Group, Chairperson and Managing Director, Jyotta Suri also expressed optimism about the revival of tourism in Jammu and Kashmir after a huge impact on this after the Pahgam attack.
“Kashmir has its longest and climb for the longest time; it is not new. And I can speak with experience, because we are now there for 25 years, and sometimes, when about three to four months stretch, we will have the same guest in the hotel. But we did not stop, and we continued.”
Now, what has happened in Pahalgam is “so unfortunate”, but people will go back.
“Jammu and Kashmir are taking it very seriously, under the leadership of the Chief Minister, and, even more importantly that the Center, the Prime Minister, the Home Minister, they are all trying to have a effort … sending a very positive message that, yes, what has happened, what has happened is terrible, it is terrible, and we will come back to those who will return to Kashmiri.
Established in 1980, WTTC says its mission is to maximize the inclusive and permanent growth capacity of travel and tourism sector through global participation.
Established 20 years ago, the World Travel and Tourism Council, India Initiative (WTTCII) works closely with the WTTC.
A MoU was also signed between WTTC and WTTCII on the occasion.
Suri, Vice Chairperson of WTTCII also said, “I am sure that Kashmir will come back with a big bounce once again”.
He also influenced the terrorist attack and the rest of the country after that, saying that it was not only Kashmir, but also as Chandigarh, where the blackout occurred later, was also affected due to closeness with Amritsar.
“Again, in Mumbai and Goa, due to proximity to Karachi, there was an impact (on the sector),” Suri said, pointing to hotel booking cancellation by many tourists.
